The Very Best Thing

“Hard head bird don’t make no good soup” or whatever they say. You’ve probably heard that phrase before. If not, you might have heard, “when you don’t listen, you will feel” or perhaps “a hard head makes a soft behind.” Either way, these three sayings underscore the fact that being obstinate and disobedient have serious consequences. Like it or not, it’s true. If we don’t obey red traffic lights or stop signs, the outcomes would be unfortunate. If we don’t adhere to the 3oz rule at the airport then our favorite items get discarded. If we don’t follow the rules of certain organizations or communities that we’re a part of, we lose our membership or privileges. If we don’t follow the directions of our maps/GPS when in a new territory, we would get lost. Imagine how frustrating it is when people disobey the idea that libraries should be quiet places or that no one should talk during movies.

The truth is that obedience is what makes our world go around. Without it our world would be chaotic. Frankly, our world is already a little chaotic. Take a closer look at yourself and perhaps your situation. You’d probably arrive at the same conclusion as me: We are just disobedient.

The words obeying and submission have garnered a negative connotation lately, but I think we’ve unfairly judged these terms. It’s a blessing to obey and to submit. Obeying is happily complying with instructions. Submission is yielding to authority. None of those things are bad. In fact, obedience and submission often protects us from our own selves. Listen, your girl isn’t perfect either (I’m fighting for my mansion in Glory every single day). I’ve been disobedient a lot. Fallen short. Missed the mark. Did my own thing. Etc. Etc. Etc. Only GRACE has kept me.

I used to think that freedom was doing whatever I wanted, and that submission was for the weak. But on the contrary, my disobedience was truly weakness. I’ve come to realize that true freedom is doing the very best thing: Obeying. I also found out that submission had nothing to do with being less capable, weaker or inferior, but rather covering and protection. Obedience and submitting to the right authority comes with benefits. Great benefits. That’s why it is the very best thing!

Doing exactly as commanded keeps us safe. When we are given a command the onus of that situation’s outcome is not on us, but rather on the one who gave the command. In other words, if God tells us to do something and we do exactly as He says, what happens next is His responsibility. Our job is just to trust and obey. We have to believe that what He says is for our good.

In fact, He tells us that once we trust, we will never be disappointed. There’s beauty in not having to be responsible for the outcome, we could simply blame it on the one who gave us the instructions but let’s keep it real… It’s NEVER that easy. Obedience is one of the hardest things to do. Why is it that the very best thing is also the hardest thing??

To be honest, I’m not sure I know the whole answer, but I do know we have power. The greatest book ever written says that, “according to the power that works within us…” this tells me all I need to know. I have the power to do the right thing, to listen, to obey, to follow His commands, no matter how I may feel or how difficult it may be in that moment. God honors obedience. He rewards it. When we obey and submit, we demonstrate love and that is the very best thing.